The Cedar Rapids Kernels and their new parent organization, the Minnesota Twins, have announced the Kernels’ 2013 coaching staff.
The Kernels will be managed by Jake Mauer, brother of Twins catcher Joe Mauer. Jake will be entering his sixth season as a minor league manager for the Twins. He played minor league ball in the Twins organization and has, for the past three seasons, been managing their “high A” team in Fort Myers FL.
Pitching coach Gary Lucas and hitting coach Tommy Watkins will be joining Mauer in Cedar Rapids. Both Lucas and Watkins have held the same positions for the Twins’ Midwest League affiliate in Beloit for the past several years.
The coaches will be joined by trainer Ryan Hedwall. Hedwall was previously the trainer at the Twins Appalachian League affiliate in Elizabethton TN and was named Appalachian and Minor League Athletic Trainer of the year for 2012.
Click here for the link to the story at Kernels.com.
– JC
I wondered if you would beat me to this.. LOL kind of glad you did though since it’s really your back yard!
I spent all morning literally watching my Twitter feed update every couple of minutes. Naturally, the Twins and Kernels wait until the afternoon when I have to… you know… actually WORK for an hour or two before they make the announcement. I think they did that on purpose ‘cuz some people are still pissed off at me over a certain story I wrote in September!
Cool, JC! Jake Mauer is your new neighbor!
Is going from Ft. Myers to Cedar Rapids a step up? I would think you’d like to rise with the players you managed last year, rather than shrink back down to guys you have never worked with. Puts him closer to Minnesota, though. Still mad about Ullger staying. I can be happy with Vavra hanging on (should be bench coach) but Ullger needed to move on and re-establish any managerial opportunities he might have elsewhere…he is not heir apparent to Gardy. Would’ve loved to see Watkins join the team as a base coach. Still don’t know why “The Mayor of Ft. Myers” is coaching in the midwest league. Good for Chad Allen to come back to the Twins. The Twins always seem to find decent 4th outfielders who play on the team for a couple of seasons. Anyone catch that Pruemer is the new trainer and Leo his assistant and Lanning the Rehab guy, now moved to Minnesota, I believe.
I was surprised by Mauer’s assignment, Joel. I’m not sure what the Twins are thinking there. So many possibilities. The Miracle have had a couple of sub-par seasons under him lately, but I haven’t heard that the organization is souring on him. Could be the ownership of the Miracle felt they needed a change and the Twins agreed to their request. Could be Mauer asked to be moved closer to his Minnesota home. I’m glad Watkins is back, but I half-expected him to get an opportunity to manage this year, maybe at one of the rookie league teams in Ft Myers or Elizabethton. I’m not complaining at all about how things worked out (though I did also really like Nelson Prada and would have been happy having him manage the Kernels, too). I can’t help but think this increases the chances that Joe Mauer could do a game or two rehab assignment in CR if he needs one. Might still not be a big chance, but it’s no longer zero shot.